Researchers demonstrated that people with fewer bacterial species in their intestines are more likely to develop complications, such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

A microbial flora with decreased bacterial richness appears to function entirely differently to the healthy variety with greater diversity. The international consortium MetaHIT, which includes the research group of Jeroen Raes (VIB/Vrije Universiteit Brussel) were involved with the research.

Jeroen Raes said, "This is an amazing result with possibly enormous implications for the treatment and even prevention of the greatest public health issue of our time. But we are not there yet, now we need studies in which we can monitor people for a longer period."